Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Tables

The San Francisco area woodworker Arthur Espenet Carpenter was one of the most celebrated figures in the postwar American Studio Furniture movement. Like George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, Wendell Castle and other craftsmen of the era, Carpenter built furniture both as a means of creative expression and for the simple personal fulfillment of making a thing well. The excellence of their work stood in high relief against the mass-produced goods made of synthetic materials that became prevalent in the mid-20th century. Born in New York City during the Jazz Age, Carpenter earned a degree in economics from Dartmouth College and initially intended to become an accountant, like his father. But after serving four years in the United States Navy in the Pacific during World War II, Carpenter had a change of heart about entering the business world. Back in New York, he became an Asian-arts dealer but finally found a true sense of direction when visiting the “Good Design” shows held in that era at the Museum of Modern Art. Carpenter was particularly taken with the hand-turned wooden bowls by James Prestini and decided he wanted to make objects himself. To get far from New York, he drove to San Francisco at age 28, bought a lathe and, with the help of a G.I. Bill small-business stipend, opened a woodworking shop in the Mission District. Carpenter started out making bowls, sold through local high-end retailers such as Geary’s. His skills improved, and within a few years Carpenter had moved to the coastal town of Bolinas, California, where he built furniture on commission. His national reputation was sealed when in 1972 — somewhat to Carpenter’s own surprise — his designs were shown by the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in the exhibition “Woodworks,” alongside those of Nakashima, Maloof, Castle and the Philadelphia-area craftsman Wharton Esherick. Carpenter defined a new design aesthetic now known as the “California roundover” — a style characterized by flowing lines and gently-contoured edges that make wood feel almost supple to the touch. The graceful and comfortable Wishbone chair, so named for the tapered supports that form its legs, is Carpenter’s signature design. The chairs, typically made of black walnut, are usually priced in the range of $20,000 a piece. Because of its simplicity and economy of materials, Carpenter’s furniture works well in any informal, unfussy decor — though it is particularly striking in a modern environment. As you will see on these pages, the work of Arthur Espenet Carpenter is both friendly and exquisite. The quality of its craftsmanship is impeccable, and it exudes the gentle warmth of the lovingly handmade object.

Creator: Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Three-Legged Occasional Table

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Chicago, IL

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Three-Legged Occasional Table in solid birch trapezoidal top with turned oak legs that pierce the top and are exposed as a design detail. Signed on underside...

Category

1970s American American Craftsman Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Tables

Materials

Burl

Gustav Siegel three legged Side table Original 1900

By Jacob & Josef Kohn, Gustav Siegel, Woka Lamps

Located in Vienna, AT

Gustav Siegel three legged Side table Original 1900 Kohn Modell #326

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Tables

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Gustav Siegel three legged Side table Original 1900

$9,263

H 27.56 in Dm 21.66 in

Vaughn Occasional Tables

Located in Houston, TX

Hand applied lacquer paired with richly stained walnut. Color options: Emerald, Aubergine, Ocean (or send your custom choice) Other options: Choose between either mostly lacquer...

Category

2010s American Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Tables

Materials

Walnut, Lacquer

Vaughn Occasional Tables

$1,950 / item

H 16 in W 12 in D 12 in

1967 Arthur Espenet Carpenter Black Walnut Dining Table

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Oakland, CA

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Black Walnut Dining Table This exquisite dining table is characterized by its long rectangular top with gently curved side...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Tables

Materials

Walnut

$2,900

H 23 in Dm 25.5 in

Moorish Occasional Table

Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Moorish carved and mother of pearl inlay occasional table, 1890. Dimensions 27 inches (69 cms) high 24.5 inches (62 cms) diameter.

Category

19th Century Moorish Antique Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Tables

Materials

Teak

Moorish Occasional Table

$1,233

H 27 in Dm 24.5 in

Previously Available Items

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Walnut Table with Drawer

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in San Mateo, CA

Side table in walnut by Arthur Espenet Carpenter, (1920-2006). This table has a single drawer below the top. The solid walnut sides and top are joined with dovetail joints. The runne...

Category

1970s American Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Tables

Materials

Walnut

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Walnut Table with Drawer

H 21.5 in W 30 in D 23 in

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Table

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A modernist side table in oak burl by Arthur Espenet Carpenter III.

Category

20th Century American Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Tables

Materials

Oak

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Side Table

H 17.5 in W 28 in D 29 in

Arthur Espenet Carpenter side tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Arthur Espenet Carpenter side tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Arthur Espenet Carpenter side tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Prices for Arthur Espenet Carpenter side tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $3,500 and can go as high as $18,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $10,750.